Electric light socket



Sept. 10, 1935. J. G. SMITH in" AL ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET Filed Au Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNETED STATE PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET .lohn Godfrey Smith and Rudolph Berner, Guelph, Ontario, Canada 1 Claim.

Our invention relates to improvements in electric light sockets of the type known as weatherproof sockets and which are designed particularly for outdoor use and, therefore, capable of withstanding different weather conditions, and

the object of the invention is to devise a weatherproof socket which will not be subject to breakage and will dispense with the use of insulating waxes, and it consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through our electric light socket completely assembled.

Fig. 2 is a plan sectional view looking upward on line 22 Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view looking upward on line 3-3 Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan sectional view looking upward on line Qd Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the outer shell of the socket.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the inner screw shell of the socket.

In the drawing like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

1 indicates the outer shell which is formed of soft resilient rubber or other suitable insulating material provided at its upper end with cylindrical projections 2 and 3 through which extend orifices 2 and 3 through which the lead wires l and 5 extend. The interior of the shell I is provided at its upper end with a series of annularly arranged recesses i3 forming therebetween inwardly projecting portions '1' (see Fig. 3) Towards the lower end of the shell I is formed an internal groove 8 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The inner screw shell comprises a sheet metal screw threaded portion 9 and a disc It preferably formed of porcelain and provided at its edge with peripheral projections ll forming intervening recesses 12, the projections H, when the screw shell is in the assembled position, fitting into the recesses 6 of the shell l with the intervening recesses l2 engaging the projections l. By this means the screw shell is held from axial and rotary movement within the shell l. The disc H0 is connected to the screw shell 9 by means of the rivets i3, i4 and 95.

It will be noted on referring to Fig. 2, the centre of the top of the screw shell is provided with a rectangular opening 9 through which extends a rectangular projection Iii projecting from the surface of the disc H3. The rivets i3 and I5 secure the screw shell 9 to the disc and the inner rivet i l secures the inner contact E6 to the lower face of the disc Iii.

The upper ends of the rivets l3 and M are countersunk into the upper face of the disc I,

the heads of said rivets lying directly beneath the orifices 2 and 3 and being connected to the barcd ends i and 5 of the leads 4 and 5.

The screw shell 9 is provided with the usual thread 9 for engaging the threaded end of the electric light bulb.

In order to prevent the crushing of the thin sheet metal forming the screw shell 9, we provide a rigid reinforcing ring ll which fits snugly around the threaded portion of the shell adjacent its lower end and fits within the annular recess 8 of the shell.

In order to assemble our device the centre contact l6, disc it and screw shell 9 are fastened together by means of the rivets l3, I5 and M. 15

To the centre rivet M are soldered insulating lead wires 4 which have been exposed as above described and to one of the other rivets I3 is secured the bared ends 5 of the wire 5. The reinforcing ring i'i is then sprung over the shell 9. wires l and 5 are then forced through the circular passages formed by the orifices 2 and 3 which are slightly less in diameter than the diameter of the lead wires. As the lead wires 4 and 5 are pulled through the orifices 2 and 3* pressure is 2 applied to the centre screw shell 9.

The elastic nature of the outer shell permits the protruding parts of the centre shell, that is the disc ill and ring ii, to be forced into their proper positions. When this takes place the outer shell resumes its usual shape and the inner shell is firmly retained within the outer shell. The engaging portions of the disc l0 and outer shell 5 prevent any axial or rotary movement of the inner within the outer shell. 3

From the foregoing it will be seen that we have provided in our construction a resilient outer shell formed of soft rubber which obviates any The lead danger of breakage during transportation or when in use and yet by such construction protects the inner screw shell from any tendency to be crushed or broken, by which the device is made moisture proof and which provides in itself means for keeping the lead wires in the orifice without the use 4 of insulating wax which has a tendency to melt when exposed to high temperatures.

What we claim as our invention is:

The combination with a socket comprising a sheet metal shell and a porcelain head secured 5 thereto and provided with peripheral projections, of an independent reinforcing ring surrounding the threaded portion of the shell, and a resilient shell formed to fit the threaded portion of the metal shell and head and having recesses into which the projections of the head and the reinforcing ring fit.

JOHN GODFREY SMITH. RUDOLPH BERNER. 

